A thoughtful compilation and analysis of some important, but underreported and under-researched news stories, with particular focus on keeping the People informed about all Enemies, Foreign and Domestic.

Anyone is free to comment on this site. Therefore, outgoing links posted by third parties may contain objectional material, but do not reflect the views of this site's owner. When linking to an outside page, links should not direct the reader to nude pictures, erotic stories, or other forms of pornography. Nor should links appear to sites using excessive profanity. Use common sense. If you would be ashamed for your church-going grandmother to see it, you shouldn't link to it. In addition to not linking to any inappropriate material, commenters should watch their language, else their posts will be deleted. Likewise, libelous statements will not be tolerated.

"A spokeswoman for the U.S. embassy told Reuters that Chen Yonglin, a 37-year-old political affairs consul at China's consulate in Sydney, had contacted a U.S. consulate in Australia about his situation, but was unable to comment further . . . Chen told a rally in Sydney to mark the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests on Saturday that Beijing saw him as a threat because he offered help to democracy groups and Falun Gong practitioners."

Australia denied his asylum request because the Chinese ambassador said that she was unaware of any legal action the Chinese government would take against Chen. Well, that's great. The citizens of the USSR had the right to freedom of speech, and we all know how well that worked out. Hopefully the United States will not be so ready to take China's semantics at face value. "[W]hen asked if she could guarantee he would not suffer any repercussions for his attempt to defect, Ambassador Fu said: 'Guarantee is not the word I would use because I will not be the person who will judge him.'" So he will be judged. That's interesting.

"If you love wealth more than liberty,
the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom,
depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms.
Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest
lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."